Page 4. Portland Observer, May 15.1965 EDITORIAL/OPINION A K ttU M C tT t SAfEU HAVE MY (MM$ M *9(19 BAR kt? WHM lr 9VN UP W ve 1MÚB4 OUT (HSUBANŒ VtltH ÍWE FCMDM. ÓCNaZHMBNTw. AMO TMCV HAVE Vi (TH THAT THE W M « AMD car t pav ? Deers Inquest jury ignored bias Multnomah County District Attorney Michad Schrunk did not represent all county residents during (he Tony Stevenson inquest because his line o f questioning was biased; he did not really seek to find out what transpired between Steven­ son and the gas station attendant, and all o f his questions were asked in such a way as to excuse the criminally negligent homicide o f Stevenson at the hands o f the police. All o f Portland heard or saw the bias in Schrunk’s questions as he tried to discredit Stevenson’s family, witnesses and allowed the police’s expert witness to explain, defend and interpret what the officers did and said. W h at’s important is not the questions asked by Schrunk, but what he did not ask. Schrunk tried to pry out from two witnesses — Pantley and Greg Cavic — what Stevenson said. But these two witnesses had the most to hide. Nor did M r. D .A . pursue the outright contradictions in the officers’ testimony or the racial slurs. Schrunk performed and questioned as if he was the defense attorney for the police officers as he tried to prevent another witness from testi­ fying to the fact that he saw the police standing around playing with themselves as Stevenson lay handicuffed, face down, and dying in the parking lot. The all-white inquest jury saw through the lies and the cover-up. They wondered why the police did not perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation when it became apparent that Stevenson was having difficulties breathing. In the back o f their — and our — minds, we know the outcome would not have occurred if Stevenson was white or a female. The police allowed him to die be­ cause o f his sex, race and size. Schrunk is an accessory to the racism that allowed Stevenson to die. W e will remember Schrunk’s line o f questioning when he’s up for rcelection. His preconceived defense for the po­ lice removed all trappings o f an impartial in­ quest. But the truth pushed through as Port­ landers listened to what our ’ ‘ finest” had done. If the Grand Jury returns a verdict o f less than homicide, we know who is responsible. High unemployment, poor education and a host o f social problems created by institutional rac­ ism is the climate in Portland. A verdict o f less than homicide will not help case the tensions created by these conditions. W ith the decision o f the public inquest in hand, the Street Beat team asked, ” How did you feel about the inquest decision?” Street Beat by Lamta Duke and Richard J Brown Barbara M a rq u a i Housewife B .E .Johaon Pastor “ I thought it was a good Son|a Jackson Hotaawtfa "I haled that idea. I felt the outcom e was fa ir .” “ T h e inquest opened a lot o f people’s eyes w ho do not live in Northeast Po rtland . It the guy got lulled, and I hope it will pre­ let people know w hat's going vent other lives from bang taken for nothing." on with the police and Blacks.’’ OF WEClEMCE The housing crisis and Blacks Along the Color Line by Dr. Manning Marable The heart o f the Great American Dream has for generaiions been ihe ownership o f a home. Since ihe laie 19th C entury, ai least half o f all while Americans have been homeowners. This perceniage increased io 64 per­ cent by I960, and reached 67 percent by ihe late 1970s Black Americans' dreams have generally been deferred in this area. Barely one in live Black families owned their own homes from 1890 through W orld War II. During ihe 1960s and 1970s, however, the perceniage o f Black owners doubled, up io 44 percent in 1975 Bui lo r both races, ihe desire to claim one's own house has remained sirong. In one resent New York Tnnes/CBS poll, 55 perceni o f all renters stated that they expect to buy a house. For IK to 29 year old renters, 63 percent plan io become homeowners. Bui in recent years, the Great American Dream has become a night­ mare lo r millions o f property owners. Back in 1971, the median price o f a home was S24.MM1 Since the median income for while families was about $ 13.2. most households could easily a fford a home. I sen Alro-Americans found housing relatively accessible in Financial terms. The median Black fam ily income was above $8,l(Xt; Black families with both spouses in the labor force were earning over $12.400 annually. In ihe past 14 years, however, housing costs have risen steeply. By ihe end o f 1984. the median house in ihe U.S. sold at $72,800, an increase o f nearly 300 perceni. The median family income now siands at $26,300; lor Black Americans, median la m ily income is below $15,000. Families which were entering ihe market fo r ihe first time had to allo­ cate a larger proportion o f their in­ comes toward housing costs. By 1982, average monthly mortgage payments reached $732 Today the typical buy­ ers must give up .35 io 40 percent o f their total income in order io keep up their payments and taxes. This fiscal crunch forced millions o f households io transform their lifestyles. Both parents are now pressured to seek jobs, or to switch employment, to accumulate savings. Others delay having children, or move to cities where housing prices lend to be lower. Perhaps ihe greaiesi difficulties are experienced by homeowners who se­ cured mortgages when interest rates were high, in ihe laic I97(K and early 1980.s I amities purchasing a $60,000 house in 1980 wiih a typical mortgage rateol 16 perceni, had expected to sell their house live years later at $75,000 or mote by 1985 W iih declining in- tlaiion rates and atrend toward small er homes, ihe house might sell tor only ihe original purchase price- The lamily would in effect lose any chance o f obtaining ihe downpayment for a new home. Or, more typically, if the major income earner lost lus or her job, a loreclosure would occur. Dus is exactly wliai is happening io hundreds ol thousands ol homeown­ ers. Ihe number o f foreclosed homes hs Ihe Federal Housing Adm inistra­ tion rose it» 4ii.iXl(> last year, an in­ crease til 142 perceni over I982's ioi.il The Veterans Administration foreclosed 29.01X1 homes in 1984 Some ol me cities wiin ihe highest rales o f foreclosures, not coinciden­ tally, base large Afro-American pop­ ulations and/or relatively high unem­ ployment rales — C leveland, Ohio; Camden, New Jersey; Chicago, Newark; and Philadelphia According io ihe January, 1985 report o f ihe Mortgage Bankers Association, near­ ly 6 perceni ol all home mortgages are pasi due — twice the rale in 1970. A total o f 400,000 families lost their homes hi 1984 alone. Who's responsible lor the housing crisis? L txik ai the ra ie o f profit made by financial lenders on all homes. Be tween 1945-1975, the average mortgage rale factoring inflation was 3 to 4 percent. Lasi year the price for bor­ rowing money was 10.6 perceni above ihe rate ot inflation. Compounding problems lo r homeowners, Reagan's new lax proposal eliminates the de­ duction from taxable income o f inter- esi payments on home mortgages. The only effective resolution o f the crisis would include legislation halt­ ing all home foreclosures o f workers who have been ihe victims o f jo b ­ lessness or marginal employment, and reductions on all outstanding and new mortgages io ihe rale o f in fla ­ tion. il not below. Federal programs granting low interest loans to renters should be expanded with similar guar­ antees. An affordable home should be a reality tor all. not a dream. Dr. Manning Marable teaches po­ litical sociology at Colgate University, Hamilton, New York. "Along the Color Line" appears in over 140 news­ papers internationally. Letters to the Editor The O bserver welcomes letters to the editor. L etters sh ould be typ ed or neatly printed and signed with the a u th o r’s name an d address la d dresses are n o t published!. We re­ serve the right Io edit fo r length. Mail to: P o rtla n d O bserver, P. O. Box 3137, Portland. OB 97208 Evelyn BureN Houaewffe “ I thought it was fair and it U n Knox C om m unity M edicina showed it wasn’t a racist thing. It showed the police were wrong.*' Bill Justice Retired “ It was very interesting, it showed there were some senous “ It was a gixxl thing and was needed. It was something that needed to be kxrked into.” problems w ith the police. They need to be better trained and supervised.’ ’ I PORTLAND OBSERMER 115 » M i t t » Tha P w la n d (Mwrrver IU S P S 96ft 980) a pubfctrwri n a r y Thursday by E»a PuMaTxng Company. Inc . 1463 N I K4hng* •x x th Portland, Oregon 97211. Rost Oftica Bos 3137 Portland. Oregon 97206 Second class postage paid at Portland. Oregon » ei'oai M aVI’l« t s : i 1. Tba P urtU nd (X u r r v ir w m mtafcfcahed a» 1920 MEMBER Subacnptnn* »15 00 par year at the Tn County area Poet m a a ta t Sand addreaa changea to the Pnoluttd Otwrrvrr, P 0 Boa 3137, Portland. Oregon 97206 NÊWA peo Attocitiion . founded IM S A lfred L. Henderson. E ditor/Publisher A! Williams, General Manager 288 0033 N a tio n a l A d v e rtis in g R ap ra s a n ta tiv a A m a lg a m a te d P u b lis h e r* Inc N a w York Sales tax unfair To the Editor, I am a senior o l 73 years justifiably concerned about this new tax lX1 exemptions while in ills' same insiaiii pushing lo r Sales la x passage? Ills ' ones planning io sei up a new bu­ reaucracy — thirty m illion dollars o f unproductive manpower? IX< ihe big corporations ihmk that aficr 50 years ol previous attempts that we can be gulled? D ial media outpourings next September, with elected officials genuflecting in concert, can induce us io vole against the welfare ot our own kmd? Wc oldsters ol all people should be ills' surest to see through ilvctr selieines. I’m certain we will. BI V> L ABBEt I.. ( hair ( 'onsuimss Op/ntsing Salts las Article disputed To the Editor. The story o f ihe conflicts w iih ihe principal o f out schsx'l is a long and painful one. Your article o f May 8 — “ Harrison tired” — does noi help the cause o f understanding. Il appears that, although you use the words "according to ihe church leader­ ship," your reporter did not contact ihe schixsl board, myself, or anyone other than the principal There is al­ ways more than one side lo a story. Many pieces are missing in our one­ sided account. Our decision io not renew his con­ tract (not a " fitm g " ) followed a long history ol difficulties in working with him and many aiiempts to mediate ihose conflicts. Unfortunately, he continues io carry on the conflict in wavs dial serve no one's gixxl. Many ol his statements were offensive and unlair lo Si. Andrew Parish and io ihose o f us involved in this personnel issue. M t Harrison's claim, for ex­ ample. dial " Ils ’ reasons were given,” dial "due process was not involved" and that he has a grievance, would not hold up d you wete to talk io school boaid members and Archdio­ cesan school officials. t J AMES C O LLM A N Pastor, St. Andrew Include U.S. To the Editor. The C ity Council should pass ihe ordinance io declare Portland a nu­ clear free zone. Although this o rd i­ nance, by prohibiting nuclear weapon production locally, w ill not end the war drive, it is an important step, both symbolically and in actuality. Bui it’s effect both as a symbol and as a law, is negated by exempting the U.S. government from us strictures. It is the U.S. government who is the primary international user and prolif- erator o f nuclear weapons, from Hiroshima to the l(XX o * .sarheads on European soil to Star Wars. The o r­ dinance should be passed with the de­ letion o f the language exempting ihe U.S. government from its provisions. The U.S. governmeni, above all, should be prohibiied fr *m nuclear weapon production in Portland A D B IE N N E W E LLEB Radical Women